Thank you for considering this, the
Burnside High School Prospectus.
Your interest in and support for
the school is appreciated.
The Prospectus aims to provide
a sample of what the school has
to offer each student during their
important secondary school years.
Our aim is to have each student
reach their potential in a safe and
caring environment. We do this in
several ways.
Firstly, we place an emphasis on
individuals. Students are known,
in person, by those who work with
them in their Divisions. Our aim is
to meet each studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs.

Thirdly, Burnside High School
has much to offer outside of the
classroom. Our achievements in
music are a feature of the school
whilst the Performing Arts in
general and our sporting successes
are recognised nationally.
This prospectus provides an
overview of the school: its national
standing in terms of examination
results and academic endeavour;
its environment; and the large
number of extra curricular
opportunities it provides. You
are welcome to contact the
school if you wish to seek further
information.

Secondly, we place an emphasis
on achievement. Our record
is outstanding. Students are
encouraged to achieve personal
goals, and to reach the highest
achievement levels possible.
W.J. Maguire
Principal

Recte Sic Dirige Cursum
In this way direct your course correctly
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a message from the Principal
3

Photograph by: Garrick Cameron

emphasis on individuals and
achievement
4

At Burnside High School, we place
an emphasis on individuals, and on
achievement.
We give students many opportunities,
and encourage them to take full
advantage of what is offered.

Parental support is a vital element
of any schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identity, and we
are fortunate to enjoy a strong and
close working relationship with the
community.
The Board of Trustees has a very
positive relationship with the staff
and wider community.

We have an active Parent-Teacher
Association which aims to forge links
between parents and the school. All
parents are encouraged to support
the Parent-Teacher Association.

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Burnside High School is
committed to the delivery of the
‘New’ New Zealand Curriculum
implemented in 2010. We are
supportive of the curriculum’s
stated vision, which is:
To educate and help develop
young New Zealanders:

•
•

•

who will be creative, energetic,
and enterprising;
who will seize the
opportunities offered by new
knowledge and technologies
to secure a sustainable social,
cultural, economic and
environmental future for our
country;
who will work to create an
Aotearoa New Zealand in
which Maori and Pakeha
recognise each other as full
Treaty partners, and in which
all cultures are valued for the

contributions they bring;

•

who, in their school years, will
continue to develop the values,
knowledge, and competencies
that will enable them to live
full and satisfying lives;

•

who will be confident,
connected, actively involved,
and lifelong learners.

Beyond this, the school is
committed to the principles,
values and key competencies seen
as essential elements in helping
teachers and students to reach
their potential.
The eight essential learning areas,
which all students in Year 9 must
have the opportunity to study
from, are listed over the page.

Mission Statement

curriculum
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Burnside High School provides a learning environment where
personal commitment to excellence in terms of achievement
and concern for others are paramount.
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subjects

Subject Areas
All students study subjects from
the Eight Essential learning areas
for all or part of the year.
The following subjects in Year
9 are studied throughout the
year and have been traditionally
called core subjects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; English,
Mathematics, Science, Social
Science, Health and Physical
Education.
The following subjects in Year 9
are studied for part of the year
and students must select which
ones they want to study. They
have traditionally been called
option subjects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Art, Dance,
Drama, Music, Electro Technology,
Food Technology, Graphics
and Materials (Wood/Metal)
Technology , Textiles Technology,
Digital Technology, Te Reo Maori,
Japanese, French, German.

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For more information regarding
the New Zealand Curriculum visit
www.minedu.govt.nz
Year-level course books are
available which detail the
complete curriculum offered at
Burnside High School. These can
also be viewed on our website
www.burnside.school.nz

Learning Support
Individual learning support is
provided for those students who
have special needs. The Learning
Centre can provide students
with specialist reading tuition,
assistance with correspondence
courses, tutoring in a range of
subjects, catch-up opportunities
for students who have been
off school for a period of time,
provision for special assessment
conditions and a myriad of other
opportunities. Gifted and talented

students are catered for within
subject departments but are also
supported within the Learning
Support Centre when appropriate..

Computers
The high level of resourcing
throughout the school ensures
that students benefit from the
opportunity to use computers
in many of their subjects. The
school is equipped with 15 full
networked computer suites to
satisfy needs at all levels. The
school has portable computers
(laptops and netbooks) available
for booking in each of the school
blocks. This allows teachers and
students to incorporate ICT into
their curriculum subjects without
leaving their rooms. The Library
and Research Centre is also
well-equipped with computer
technology, including a computer

learning suite. Programming,
problem-solving, word-processing,
spreadsheets, internet research
skills, and graphics applications
are just some of the uses for
these comprehensive computing
facilities.
There is an increased focus
on portable computing and
networked trolleys of netbooks for
use in classrooms.

English for Speakers of
Other Languages
Students with English as a second
language receive personal care
in the ESOL Department, where
English language tuition is
offered. Trained language teachers
help students develop the skills
they need to adapt to the school
community and the New Zealand
way of life.

9

music programmes

10

Burnside High School has a well-deserved reputation for
excellence in music. Music is an option for students from
Year 9. As well as full-time staff, there are itinerant tutors
who give specialist tuition in a variety of instruments.
Students do not need to have had prior experience on an
instrument in order to take up this opportunity.

Specialist Music Programme (SMP)
The SMP is designed to cater for students with
considerable experience and talent as musicians. These
students will maintain music as a focus throughout
their time at secondary school. Entry to the course is by
audition and is open to all instruments and voice.

Note: Students who are accepted into the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
SMP programme do not need to live in zone to be
accepted into the school.

11

12

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At Burnside High School students are taught to strive for Excellence, not just an Achieved grade. This is evident in the
statistics from 2011 NCEA results where a high number of our students have received a merit or excellence endorsement.
The 74 Scholarships gained, 9 at outstanding level, are not a reflection of the size of the school. They represent an
outstanding achievement when compared with any school in New Zealand.
The statistics below are representative of a school culture which teaches and encourages academic excellence.

Burnside
High School

National

Burnside
Merit

National
Merit

Burnside
Excellence

National
Excellence

NCEA Level 1

86%

64%

41%

34%

25%

13%

NCEA Level 2

80%

68%

35%

22%

19%

8%

NCEA Level 3

76%

54%

32%

24%

24%

7%

Scholarships

focus on achievement and success in
academic programmes
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Burnside High School attracts many
students who are academically very
able. The school has a focus on
achievement and success in academic
programmes.

74

Outstanding Scholarships

A major advantage of being a large
school is that we are able to offer a
wide variety of subject options.
Our innovative subject programmes
lead, progressively, to senior levels
where students are prepared for

9

national examinations. At the same
time, we also cater for students with
talents in other areas. We encourage
all students to discover their talents,
and to develop them to their full
potential.
15

Cultural
Burnside High School has an
unequalled reputation in the
performing arts, with a very high
number of students participating
in a broad programme of music,
dance and drama. For many
years, our students have achieved
a remarkable level of success in
music.
In 2011, Big Band won Best Big
Band at both the New Zealand
School of Music inaugural Jazz
Competition and CPIT Jazzquest.
Bel Canto gained a place at the
Secondary Schools’ Big Sing Finale.
They won a Gold Award and the
highly coveted Hutt City Trophy.
Drama and Dance, provide
opportunities for academic
success in the classroom and in
a wide variety of extra curricular
performances.

Helping to make this possible is
the Aurora Centre, a school facility
purpose-built and unique to
Burnside High School. It has a 700
seat air-conditioned auditorium,
a green room, practice rooms, a
large foyer, a kitchen and stateof-the art, computer-controlled,
sound and lighting equipment.
The Centre also boasts a Steinway
piano.

Sports
Individual and team sport
successes by Burnside High School
pupils cover the full spectrum of
sporting pursuits available. Our
students compete with distinction
locally and nationally. In 2011
8 Burnside High School students
competed with national teams in
a diverse range of sports. Notable
successes in the past include:

Athletics
From 2001 to the present, winners
of the trophy for the top coeducational school in Canterbury.

National and South Island
Secondary School medal winners.

Badminton
Senior Boys’ team continue
to dominate the Canterbury
Secondary Schools Competition
winning the trophy for the 19th
year in a row.

Football
Girls’ and Boys’ First XI teams
compete at National Secondary
School tournaments.

Hockey
Boys’ and Girls’ First XI’s
compete each year at National
Tournaments.

Netball
Senior Girls ‘A’ compete in the
SuperNet competition which
involves the top 8 secondary
schools in Canterbury. They
regularly finish in the Top 15
of the South Island Secondary
Schools’ Tournament.

Rugby
The Boys’ First XV competes in
the elite “Press Cup” competition
for Secondary Schools in the
Canterbury/West Coast/Nelson/
Marlborough area. The Girls First
XV compete in the Canterbury
Secondary Schools’ competition.

Volleyball
The Senior Girls’ ‘A’ team
Canterbury runners-up in 2012
and 3rd equal in South Island. The
Junior Girls’ ‘A’ team won South
Island Secondary Schools’ Division
2 and the Canterbury competition
in 2012.

Young New Zealanders’
Challenge (The Duke of
Edinburgh Award)
This list was correct at
the time of printing, but
students need to be aware
that the range offered can
vary from year to year.

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A Caring School
With over two thousand six
hundred students, Burnside
High School is one of the largest
schools in New Zealand, yet each
student is known and supported
as an individual. Our unique
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Divisional Structureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and our
extensive guidance network, as
explained below, ensure that
Burnside High School provides a
caring and nurturing environment
for our students.

each of the approximately 700

Parent assistance and involvement

students in their division quickly

Guidance

is welcomed. The PTA meets

and well on their arrival in Year 9.

regularly, and offers support and

As the students remain in the

assistance in many ways.

Each student belongs to a form
class which meets each day. The
form teacher provides pastoral
care on a daily basis, working with
each divisionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deans and guidance
counsellor. Guidance Counsellors
meet students on an individual
or group basis, and they may
even work with families if this is
appropriate. Sometimes specialist
consultants and outside agencies
are brought in as well.

same division for four years, the
relationship between the divisional
staff members and the students

During the year the school
offers a series of workshops to

in each division continues to grow

help caregivers in their role of

stronger over the years.

parenting teenagers. These cover

In the junior school, core subjects
are taught within the divisions.
This, and the weekly divisional
assemblies, ensure that each

topics such as parenting skills,
study skills, parent effectiveness
training, social education and
career decisions.

Structure

division develops its own identity.

Parents of Year 9 students have an

The school is divided into four
divisions: North, South, West and
Senior. Each of the three junior
divisions has its own divisional
principal, deans, form teachers
and a full time professionally
trained guidance counsellor.
These staff members get to know

Option classes are drawn from all

opportunity early in the first term

divisions, so that students also

to meet their Divisional Principal,

get to know the other students in

Deans and Guidance Counsellor, as

their year level.

well as the core subject teachers.

At Year 13, the students all join
the Senior Division. Under the
guidance of the Senior Division
staff, the senior students quickly
form a strong identity and
collegiality in the division.

It is also an opportunity to meet
parents of other students in the
class. These initial meetings are
followed up with later report and
career evenings for all year levels.

Associated with the Guidance
Department is the important area
of Careers and Transition Education.
This specialist service helps junior
students foster career related goals,
while it assists senior students
move towards further education,
employment and independent
living. Activities offered include
social and job-seeking skills,
personal development, and
individual employment counselling.